Railroad-spike.



C. J. WALBERG.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 2.1915- WITNESSES ATTOR N EY CARL J. WALBERG, OFBOVEY, MINNESOTA.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Application filed November 2, 1915. Serial No. 59,270.

. headed. and screw threaded fastening and more particularly to arailroad spike.

The primar object of my invention is to provide a raili'oad spike,which. when in serted in a tie is practically incapable of accidentalloosenin or displacement.

Another object o my invention is to provide a spike of the abovementioned class which is simple in construction and will positively beretained in position without the use of detached fastening devices orthe like very prevalent in the prior art. 7

\Vith the above and other objects in view my invention residespreferably in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts ashereinafter set forth in the specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of arailroad spike constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a view of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Fig. 1looking in the direc-' tion of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the spike, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.1.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout thevarious views of the drawings. a

In the drawings I have illustrated a spike constructed in accordancewith the objects set forth above which includes a shank 1 having a head2 on one extremity thereof, said shank being bifurcated to provideslightly spaced arms 3 and 4 having notches 5 in the outer faces thereofand pointed extremities 6 and 7 respectively. The inner abutting facesof the arms 3 and 1 are normally in slightly spaced relation as shown toadvantage in Fig. 3. The adjacent edges of said inner faces beingbeveled as indicated at 8 and 9 respectively so as to facilitateinsert-ion of the spike and spreading of the arms to prevent dislodgmentof said spike. The opposite faces of the shank 1 adjacent the startingpoint of the bifurcated portion of said shank are inclined downwardlyas. indicated at 10 to form tzipered spurs to facilitate the drivinghome 0 the spike by being driven in between the spreading arms 3 and 4.By this operation of the spurs, it is obvious the spurs will fit betweenthe arms and will in this way brace the arms against movement towardeach other, thus preventing the accidental withdrawal of the spike.

As shown to advantage in Fig. 1, the retaining lug 11 formed on the head2 extends at right angles from said shank laterally to the plane of thebifurcation therein, so

that when the spike is driven home and the arms arespread, the same willspread transversely of the tie, the notches 5 engaging the grain of theWood. The driving home of the spike is very easily accomplished and itsretention assured, it being understood. of course, that the lug 11engages the base of the railway rail in the usual manner.

As shown to advantage in Fig. I the points 6 and 7 are afforded bybevelingthe adjacent faces of the arms 3 and 4 na indicated at 12,thereby assisting and starting the spreading of the arms during thedriving process as well as serving to penetrate thewood of a tie.Further attention is directed to the manner in which the arms 3 and 1engage the grain'of a tie and it will be noted that the notches 5 engagethe grain of the wood. This will also prevent early rotting of the tieowing to the tearing effect usually produced by railroad spikes. I

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, it is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding ofthe construction, operation and advantages of my invention may bereadily gathered and while I have shown and described the same asembodying a specific structure.'I reserve the right to make changestherein which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invent-ionas claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A spike of the class described comprising a head, a shank projectingfrom said head and being bifurcated to form a pair of spaced arms, saidarms having retaining notches in their outer faces, the inner edges ofeach arm being beveled for approximately one-third the width of the armfrom each side thereof, the beveled portion extending throughout theentire length of each arm, said arms having their ends beveled toprovide pointed extremities and means bracing said arms against movementtoward each other after the same have been driven into a support.

2. A spike of the class described, comprising a head havin a shankprojecting therefrom, said shank ing bifurcated to form a pair of spacedarms having pointed extremities, spurs formed upon the upper portion ofsaid shank adjacent the'base of the bifurcation, said spurs beingtapered throughout their entire length, upon their outer faces into asupport, whereby the pointed extrem'i-' ties will spread the arms, andsaid tapered spurs being bent inwardly between the arms in their spreadcondition, when the spike is carried entirely by a support, whereby thefitting of the spurs between the arms will brace the arms againstmovement toward each other and the accidental withdrawal of the spikebeing in this manner prevented. In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL J. WALBERG.

vWitnesses BERTHA E. HEGDAHL, JOHN WALBERG.

